Left Alone: Last Battle
by Layana Danare
Summary: [OneShot] Mira is out on the planet Malachor V, alone. Or is she? Hanharr is waiting for her. Will he escape this time, or will she triumph? Part 2 of 3


_Hey People! I just wanted to say that if the story or dialogue in here doesn't fit the game EXACTLY, don't flip out. I might change it. Just to make it a little more interesting to those of us who have seen this part over and over and over and over and over and over... Yeah, you get the picture. _

* * *

The lightning crashed silently overhead. The thunder had forgotten that it's _supposed_ to roll afterward. Poisonous gases curled around me, their green, smoky fingers reaching out to steal my life away. It's a good thing they didn't succeed. Not with the breath mask I had on. _Oh, thank you, my scoundrel._

I left the safety of the Ebon Hawk to find someone who saved me. Someone who I cared enough about to want to save. The Exile. Jacen Starl. But I wouldn't have gotten far.

Not without Atton's help.

He gave me the armor I wore to protect me from the terrible beasts on this planet. He gave me all the medpacs and antidote kits I'd need. He gave me the breath mask to protect my lungs from the toxic gases of this planet. He gave me his lightsaber, because I had been too stubborn to allow anyone to teach me how to build one. I had tried to make one myself, but ended up with a hopeless pile of components.

But most of all, he'd given me courage.

He'd helped me more in his silent way than any other way. He helped me see that I was more than what I thought I was. More than anyone had ever thought of me.

Helped me see that someone would be sorry if I didn't return.

I didn't think I could leave at first. Bao-Dur was so alone. He had sent his remote out into the vast, dark, void of this planet. Sent it to destroy the planet. It wasn't coming back, and he knew it. It was a part of him. As much as his mechanical arm was part of him. He had sacrificed it to destroy this horrible place. I didn't think I could leave him like that. But I knew Atton would take care of him. And Bao-Dur was strong. He was a Jedi.

Something sharp, something prodding, penetrated my thoughts. Even with all the darkness of the planet, even with my bruised senses, I felt it. It was a presence. The presence of a living being, but it wasn't one of the screaming beasts. It wasn't of this planet. No..

It was darker than that.

Tainted.

Twisted.

Hanharr.

I whirled around.

A dark, hairy beast loomed out of the shadows. It's stance was that of hatred. I knew that stance. But how could it be Hanharr?

"Hanharr?" I called. "You've got to be kidding me. I left you for dead."

"The Gray-maned female brought me here to hunt. To hunt you." Yes, it was his voice all right. I knew it. Almost more than I knew my own.

"You have always been prey, Mira. Weak. Scared. Always running. Hesitant to kill." His voice was deeper, harsher than I remembered it. Kreia had destroyed what little dignity he had left. He was a pawn of the dark side now. He took a step toward me, eyes flashing fire. I stepped back, but not soon enough. His hand reached out. I saw it coming for my throat, as if he was a hologram who's program had been slowed down. I felt his steel fingers close around my neck and lift me off the ground. This was no hologram.

"Here on the graveyard planet, you have no where left to run. The eyes of Nar Shaddaa do not look here. Whatever happens shall only be between you and I." I writhed in his grasp and gasped for the breath he was denying me. "Run prey," he growled. "Run, or fight here. I can feel the rage of this planet running through me, like a strong current. But it is nothing compared to the hatred I have for you."

He released me and I stumbled back, clutching at my throat. But I did not have time to catch my breath. He was already drawing his swords. I drew my-Atton's- lightsaber from my belt. It's clear, silver blade glowed against the darkness of this planet, like a star in the darkened heavens. He took no notice of it, and lunged at me like a madman.

I was not prepared for this rush of anger and hurt that he attacked me with. He was attacking with more than just two, battered, ceremonial blades. He was attacking with his heart. Or the black chunk of muscle that passed as one...

His attacks were without coordination, without pattern. I searched for a weakness in his tactics, but could find none. I was becoming terrified, even though Jedi are not supposed to be afraid. Ever. Jacen was never afraid. I was sure of it. I would have used aggressive force powers, if I had known how. Jacen had only taught me defensive ones. Heal. Aura. Shield. They were the only ones I had _wanted _to learn.

_Mira!_

Atton's voice! _Oh no, Atton! How can I concentrate on killing Hanharr if you speak to me? _I felt tears prick my eyes. Atton's voice was gone, but I had an idea. It was as if we were sharing thoughts. Could he possibly know what was happening to me?

I darted to the side, hoping that Hanharr was as slow a turned as I remembered. I heard Hanharr's blade whistle over my head. I clipped his side with my lightsaber, searing his flesh. He howled in rage, and turned to face me.

_Mira!_

Bao-Dur? _Are you also trying to communicate? Please, tell me what you want to say!_ My heart cried out, and across the vast distance separating us, I head him say,

_Mira, his right blade! Cut it off at the hilt. The blade is resistant to lightsabers, but not the hilt. Not the hilt..._

_ I hear you, I hear you. _I singed the fur on his arm with my blade, causing him to take one step backwards. I could tell that he was starting to be a little less sure of himself. Maybe this wasn't going to be as easy as he thought...

My lightsaber sliced his right-sword's hilt in two.

This _definitely_ wasn't going to be as easy as he thought.

Now that he had only one blade, the fight was easier. The pattern was more detectable. I was no longer afraid. Block. Block. Swing. Block. Swing. Swing. Block. Block...

At last he fell.

Down on his knees before me, he looked so weary. Pitiful.

Weak.

He cried out to me, "kill me, and the life debt will be settled. I cannot be in debt to you a second time. It will only be a second death to me. Whether you spare me, or kill me, it is death."

It would have made perfect sense for me to just walk over and decapitate him. Maybe even keep the head. After all, he had hunted me to the ends of the galaxy, why should I let him live to attack me again? But I couldn't kill him.

He had to find his way. Maybe back into the light.

Maybe not.

No matter what happened, though, I did not have to right to end his life. His life that could perhaps be saved.

"I won't kill you Hanharr," I said clearly and strongly. A strong contrast to my feelings inside. Choked up. Weak. "There is no need. You don't owe me a life-debt. I release you."

I turned and walked away, feeling his eyes on my back. Lingering on the woman who had just spared his life, again. The woman who had released him. Given him a reason to live.

I hoped he would remember that the next time I ran into him.


End file.
